Location: Just Food Farm, 2391 Pepin Court

**Important Note: Dress warm as this enclosed building does not have built-in heating. There will be space heaters to keep things cozy.

10:30am – 12:30pm: Kids ages 2 – 7 (*must be accompanied by an adult).

Halloween crafts, scavenger hunt, and games! Come dressed up – there will be prizes for best costumes!

Come meet Spiderman from 11:45am to 12:30pm!

1:30pm – 3:30pm: Kids ages 8 – 13

Kids can come on their own or with some friends for a scavenger hunt, crafts, and activities. Come dressed up – there will be prizes for best costumes!

Dr. Rickenstein’s Lab science show from 2pm to 3pm.

8:00pm – 10:30pm: All-Ages Halloween Monster Mash Dance Party (kids 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult)

Join the BCA and Dreamers’ Song & Dance inc. and show off your moves under our cool laser lights for a Halloween dance party featuring festive music, a costume contest, and snacks. Everyone is welcome, from tiny ghosts and goblins to adults showing off their creative side. Dress in your best costume to win prizes.

For more information, contact youth@blackburnhamlet.ca.

Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 7:00 PM, Blackburn Community Hall, 190 Glen Park Drive

We are thrilled that Dr. Christopher Skinner will be joining us for a trifecta! In his third Discovery Café session, Dr. Skinner will turn his focus to the impact and prevention of strokes. Specifically, he will review:

• the different types of strokes and how stroke can affect daily life;
• strategies to reduce stroke risk factors, both personal and societal;
• some of the on-line tools to allow the assessment of personal risk for stroke; and
• some the medications used for prevention and treatment of stroke.

A handout with QR codes will also be provided so attendees can discuss their own risk assessment in an interactive fashion.

Please visit the BCA website at blackburnhamlet.ca/261022 for Dr. Skinner`s complete biography and more information on the lecture series.

Admission to Discovery Café is free and no registration is required. All ages are welcome. Refreshments will be served.

Questions? Please email barbara@blackburnhamlet.ca.

Hope to see you there!

If you are one of the many people that lives with chronic pain — that nagging, tingling, throbbing, aching, ever-present thing that can limit your activity and enjoyment – then join us for this session as Osteopathic practitioner Oleg Bagrin and some of his team members discuss:

• why chronic pain develops;
• simple, effective strategies to prevent chronic pain;
• what can be done to manage and improve conditions early; and
• how to stay active and mobile without waiting long periods for care.

Mr. Bagrin is the owner of Activate Healing Clinic and is proud to be a Professor and Dean at the National University of Medical Sciences (NUMSS) in Florida, USA, and a Professor at the National Academy of Osteopathy (NAO) in Toronto. He is also a member of the Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada.

I stress that this only shows REPORTED CRIMES or INCIDENTS. I stress how critically important it is to report incidents to police. I see monthly incidents on BCA social media showing crimes or issues which should have been reported to the police, but the crime map shows me they were not reported. I must stress that the Ottawa Police deploy resources based on reported crime. They cannot act on crime issues if no one tells them. Please report crime at ottawapolice.ca/en/reports-and-services/file-a-report/ .

There were 4 assaults reported in the previous month. These all occurred in the daytime. 3 Occurred in the areas of Innes Rd at or near Southpark Drive, Emily Carr Middle School, and at Orient Park Drive. One assault occurred daytime near Orient Park Drive and Cleroux, near the school.

A break & enter was reported to have occurred near the East Innes Bypass and Navan Rd between 16-20 Sep.

There were 2 damage to property incidents. One occurred between 10-14 Sep near Orient Park Drive & Falkirk. One occurred between 26 Aug to 4 Sep near Beddoe Lane and Roseanne Lane. An uttering threats call was reported on the afternoon of 18 Sep near Wedgewood Cr East and Eastpark Drive. There was a theft under $5000 overnight 5-7 Sep near Parkridge Cr and Westpark Drive.

For any cybercrime or fraud on line or other, please report here or to the Canadian Anti Fraud Centre at reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca, and all crime to Ottawa Police at ottawapolice.ca/en/reports-and-services/file-a-report or 613-236-1222 ext 7300, or 911 if it is an emergency. You can also report anonymously to Crimestoppers at crimestoppers.ca.

For more information on Blackburn Hamlet Crime Prevention, visit blackburnhamlet.ca/our-work/safety/neighbourhood-watch/.

Brad Hampson

This year, there were two Volunteer of the Year award winners: Lisa Margeson and Melanie Mathieu.

Lisa joined the BCA board in 2018 with the intention of taking on the Membership Director role. Once the board realized her financial background, however, she was quickly promoted to be the BCA Treasurer. Over the past 8 years she has worked hard to improve our accounting practices and to bring our accounts up-to-date with CRA – a task that would have been impossible for anyone without a solid financial background.

Melanie joined the BCA board in 2024 as our new Youth Director.  Over the past two years she has organized an amazing number of contests and events for a variety of ages that regularly see over 50 participants.

Congratulations to Lisa Margeson and Melanie Mathieu for their well-deserved awards!

2026 Volunteers of the Year Lisa Margeson and Melanie Mathieu. Photo by Nina Ryan.

We also congratulate the following recipients of Directors awards:

• Cancer Chase: Charlie Jodoin
• FunFair: Robert Long
• Hockey Day: Clara Maude Cadieux
• Neighbourhood Watch: Brad Hampson
• Pancake Breakfast: Brian Effer
• Rinks: Kyle Labelle
• Seniors: Elena Leggiadro
• Youth: Sarrah Abassi

Thank you once again to all of the Past, Present and Future BCA Volunteers! You are the heart of our community.  We would also like to thank Just Food for the use of their beautiful barn for this event and to the School of Rock for providing the entertainment.

Who – Canada Post has made this decision.  The community association, nor the municipal or provincial representatives can have any influence on this change. Canada Post is responsible for maintaining and servicing all community mailboxes to ensure they remain safe and accessible. This includes clearing snow and fixing or replacing locks as required.

What: Community mailboxes have 3 sections: The first is a group of small, locked compartment for each individual designated address. Second is a larger “parcel compartment” and third is a small slot for you to drop your outgoing letters. More than 80 per cent of parcels delivered by Canada Post fit into a community mailbox’s individual compartment or a dedicated parcel compartment. Parcels that don’t fit or that require a signature are delivered to the door or held for pickup at a nearby post office.

A Delivery Accommodation Program exists for residents who might face physical challenges accessing centralized boxes (such as winter mobility concerns or reach issues). The program offers a variety of options to make access to your mail easier.  You must submit a request to Canada Post on their website, specifying which option you need. More information is available at canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/our-company/accessibility/delivery-ccommodation-program.page.

When:  It is expected that the delivery in Blackburn Hamlet will start to transition to the community mailboxes in Spring 2027. Canada Post will send letters to residents ahead of the switch detailing when home delivery ends and where their new community mailbox will be located.

Why: Canada Post has been losing money for many years as the volume of letter mail continues to decrease.  The Corporation is taking this action to ensure it can meet the evolving needs of Canadians in a financially sustainable way. Community mailboxes have been part of Canada’s delivery network for more than 40 years and are used by millions of Canadians.

For more information go to https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/personal/mailboxes-and-lockers/community-mailboxes.page

If you have any concerns regarding the location or quality of a nearby community mailbox installation, you can call Canada Post at 1-866-607-6301 Monday to Friday, 7 am to 11 pm ET and Saturday and Sunday, 9 am to 9 pm ET.

Halloween brings our neighbourhood to life: children and families are out, neighbours connect, and our community shines. But for some children and families, Halloween can feel less inviting. For example, those 3 steps to reach the front door can be a barrier for anyone using a wheelchair or mobility device.

Our community has been approved to register together as one Treat Accessibly Halloween street, but we need YOU to sign up to make it happen!

Participating homes will receive a Treat Accessibly lawn sign, and there may even be some media attention as we help spread the word about accessible trick-or-treating!

Register your home at treataccessibly.com/join-your-street and select Kyle Humphrey as your Community Captain. Add your own street name & (Blackburn Hamlet).

Let’s make Halloween a celebration every child can enjoy.

If you have any questions, contact kyle@blackburnhamlet.ca

Remember that some disabilities are invisible, and communication needs vary. Never pressure a child to say “trick or treat”—a wave, gesture or other form of communication is just as welcome.

Date: October 31st, 2026
Location: Just Food Farm, 2391 Pepin Court

The Director of Youth is busy planning something extra special at Blackburn’s Just Food Farm this year. At this time, we do not have more information to share. Please be sure to visit https://blackburnhamlet.ca/our-work/youth/ as well as the Blackburn Community Association social media pages for updates, or email youth@blackburnhamlet.ca to get more details as they become available.

REBOUND – Choices program for Youth

The free REBOUND-Choices program helps youth build confidence, develop healthy habits, and make positive choices for life. Youth will gain tools to navigate life’s challenges and strengthen their sense of self.

Ages: 10 to 13 years old, parents welcome to join with their child.
Dates: Wednesday October 28, November 4 and November 11th from 4:30pm to 6:30pm *A snack will be provided
Location: Blackburn Community Hall, 190 Glen Park Drive

Through fun, interactive weekly sessions, youth will explore topics like:

• Communication, Goal Setting & Decision Making
• Coping Skills
• Consent and the Power of Language
• Healthy Relationships
• Substances

Registration: Space is limited. Please send an email to youth@blackburnhamlet.ca to register. Please provide the name and age of your child.

Calling All Young Artists!

As part of its youth engagement activities this fall, the Blackburn Community Association (BCA) is inviting Blackburn youth aged 7 to 16 to get creative and participate in our Fall & Halloween Art Contest!

Grab your pencils, paints, markers, scissors—or whatever helps bring your imagination to life—and create an original work of art inspired by Fall or Halloween.

Your artwork can be spooky, silly, colourful, cozy, mysterious, or completely unexpected – anything that makes you think of this magical time of year.

Entries can be drawings, paintings, collages, digital artwork, or mixed-media creations. Let your imagination run wild!

$200 in Prizes!

To give artists of different ages a chance to shine, entries will be judged in two age categories:

Ages 7–11

• Winner: $50
• 2 Runners-up: $30 each

Ages 12–16

• Winner: $50
• 2 Runners-up: $30 each

Contest Rules and Submission details

Participants must be 7 to 16 years old and must live in or attend school in Blackburn Hamlet.

All artwork must be original and created by the participant. Each participant may submit one entry.

Artwork can be created using any artistic medium, including pencil, crayons, markers, paint, pastels, collage, mixed media, or digital art.

Entries should be submitted as a clear, high-quality photograph, scan, or digital image of the finished artwork.

Please label your file as follows:

FirstName_LastName_School_Age_HomeStreet

For example: Melanie_Mathieu_GlenOgilvie_12_Northpark.jpg

Entries must be received by 11:00 p.m. on Friday October 16th and should be emailed to youth@blackburnhamlet.ca.

Put on your creative cap, break out the art supplies, and show us what Fall and Halloween in Blackburn look like through your eyes.

We can’t wait to see what you create!